• 0161 923 6602 
www.gmc-uk.org
General Medical Council (GMC)
• 0161 923 6602 www.gmc-uk.org
British Medical Association (BMA)
• 020 7387 4499 bma.org.uk
Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA)
• 01256 771 777 www.hcsa.com
Medical Defence Union (MDU)
• 0800 716 376 www.themdu.com
Medical Protection Society (MPS)
• 0800 136 759 www.medicalprotection.org
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS)
• 0333 043 4444 www.mddus.com
BMA Counselling Service
Doctors’ Support Network (mental illness)
Sick Doctor’s Trust (alcohol and drug addiction)
• 24h help 0370 444 5163 www.sick-doctors-trust.co.uk
BMA Services
Association of LGBT Doctors and Dentists (GLADD)
National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD)
Medical Research Council (MRC)
• 01793 416 200 www.mrc.ac.uk
Medical Women’s Federation
• 0207 387 7765 www.medicalwomensfederation.org.uk
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
• 0207 404 6600 www.msf.org
Voluntary Services Overseas
• 0208 780 7500 www.vso.org.uk
Wellcome Trust
• 0207 611 8888 www.wellcome.ac.uk
| Anaesthetists | 020 7092 1500 | www.rcoa.ac.uk |
| Emergency Medicine | 020 7404 1999 | www.rcem.ac.uk |
| General Practitioners | 020 3188 7400 | www.rcgp.org.uk |
| Obstetricians and Gynaecologists | 020 7772 6200 | www.rcog.org.uk |
| Ophthalmologists | 020 7935 0702 | www.rcophth.ac.uk |
| Paediatrics and Child Health | 020 7092 6000 | www.rcpch.ac.uk |
| Pathologists | 020 7451 6700 | www.rcpath.org |
| Physicians of London | 020 7935 1174 | www.rcplondon.ac.uk |
| Physicians of Edinburgh | 0131 225 7324 | www.rcpe.ac.uk |
| Physicians of Ireland | 0035318639700 | www.rcpi.ie |
| Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow | 0141 221 6072 | www.rcpsg.ac.uk |
| Psychiatrists | 020 7235 2351 | www.rcpsych.ac.uk |
| Radiologists | 020 7636 4432 | www.rcr.ac.uk |
| Surgeons of Edinburgh | 0131 527 1600 | www.rcsed.ac.uk |
| Surgeons of England | 020 7405 3474 | www.rcseng.ac.uk |
| Surgeons of Ireland | 0035314022100 | www.rcsi.ie |
Selected learned bodies
Online reference sources
Metres (m) to inches (inch), multiply by 39.37 (12 inches to the foot). Inches to metres, multiply by 0.0254.
| m | inch | feet | inch |
| 1.36 | 53.5 | 4 | 5.5 |
| 1.37 | 54 | 4 | 6 |
| 1.38 | 54.5 | 4 | 6.5 |
| 1.40 | 55 | 4 | 7 |
| 1.41 | 55.5 | 4 | 7.5 |
| 1.42 | 56 | 4 | 8 |
| 1.43 | 56.5 | 4 | 8.5 |
| 1.45 | 57 | 4 | 9 |
| 1.46 | 57.5 | 4 | 9.5 |
| 1.47 | 58 | 4 | 10 |
| 1.48 | 58.5 | 4 | 10.5 |
| 1.50 | 59 | 4 | 11 |
| 1.51 | 59.5 | 4 | 11.5 |
| 1.52 | 60 | 5 | 0 |
| 1.54 | 60.5 | 5 | 0.5 |
| 1.55 | 61 | 5 | 1 |
| 1.56 | 61.5 | 5 | 1.5 |
| 1.57 | 62 | 5 | 2 |
| 1.59 | 62.5 | 5 | 2.5 |
| 1.60 | 63 | 5 | 3 |
| 1.61 | 63.5 | 5 | 3.5 |
| 1.62 | 64 | 5 | 4 |
| 1.64 | 64.5 | 5 | 4.5 |
| 1.65 | 65 | 5 | 5 |
| 1.66 | 65.5 | 5 | 5.5 |
| 1.67 | 66 | 5 | 6 |
| 1.69 | 66.5 | 5 | 6.5 |
| 1.70 | 67 | 5 | 7 |
| 1.71 | 67.5 | 5 | 7.5 |
| 1.73 | 68 | 5 | 8 |
| 1.74 | 68.5 | 5 | 8.5 |
| 1.75 | 69 | 5 | 9 |
| 1.76 | 69.5 | 5 | 9.5 |
| 1.78 | 70 | 5 | 10 |
| 1.79 | 70.5 | 5 | 10.5 |
| 1.80 | 71 | 5 | 11 |
| 1.81 | 71.5 | 5 | 11.5 |
| 1.83 | 72 | 6 | 0 |
| 1.84 | 72.5 | 6 | 0.5 |
| 1.85 | 73 | 6 | 1 |
| 1.87 | 73.5 | 6 | 1.5 |
| 1.88 | 74 | 6 | 2 |
| 1.89 | 74.5 | 6 | 2.5 |
| 1.90 | 75 | 6 | 3 |
| 1.92 | 75.5 | 6 | 3.5 |
| 1.93 | 76 | 6 | 4 |
| 1.94 | 76.5 | 6 | 4.5 |
| 1.95 | 77 | 6 | 5 |
| 1.97 | 77.5 | 6 | 5.5 |
| 1.98 | 78 | 6 | 6 |
Degrees Fahrenheit (°F) to degrees Celsius (centigrade °C)
Degrees Celsius (centigrade °C) to degrees Fahrenheit (°F)
Millimetres of mercury (mmHg) to kilopascals (kPa)
Kilopascals (kPa) to millimetres of mercury (mmHg)
kg to pounds (lbs), multiply by 2.2046 (14lb to the stone; 16oz per lb) Pounds to kg, multiply by 0.4536.
| kg | St | lbs | kg | St | lbs | kg | St | lbs |
| 1 | 0 | 2lb 3oz | 43 | 6 | 11 | 85 | 13 | 5 |
| 2 | 0 | 4lb 7oz | 44 | 6 | 13 | 86 | 13 | 8 |
| 3 | 0 | 6lb 10oz | 45 | 7 | 1 | 87 | 13 | 10 |
| 4 | 0 | 8lb 13oz | 46 | 7 | 3 | 88 | 13 | 12 |
| 5 | 0 | 11 | 47 | 7 | 6 | 89 | 14 | 0 |
| 6 | 0 | 13 | 48 | 7 | 8 | 90 | 14 | 2 |
| 7 | 1 | 1 | 49 | 7 | 10 | 91 | 14 | 5 |
| 8 | 1 | 4 | 50 | 7 | 12 | 92 | 14 | 7 |
| 9 | 1 | 6 | 51 | 8 | 0 | 93 | 14 | 9 |
| 10 | 1 | 8 | 52 | 8 | 3 | 94 | 14 | 11 |
| 11 | 1 | 10 | 53 | 8 | 5 | 95 | 14 | 13 |
| 12 | 1 | 12 | 54 | 8 | 7 | 96 | 15 | 2 |
| 13 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 8 | 9 | 97 | 15 | 4 |
| 14 | 2 | 3 | 56 | 8 | 11 | 98 | 15 | 6 |
| 15 | 2 | 5 | 57 | 9 | 0 | 99 | 15 | 8 |
| 16 | 2 | 7 | 58 | 9 | 2 | 100 | 15 | 10 |
| 17 | 2 | 9 | 59 | 9 | 4 | 101 | 15 | 13 |
| 18 | 2 | 12 | 60 | 9 | 6 | 102 | 16 | 1 |
| 19 | 3 | 0 | 61 | 9 | 8 | 103 | 16 | 3 |
| 20 | 3 | 2 | 62 | 9 | 11 | 104 | 16 | 5 |
| 21 | 3 | 4 | 63 | 9 | 13 | 105 | 16 | 7 |
| 22 | 3 | 7 | 64 | 10 | 1 | 106 | 16 | 10 |
| 23 | 3 | 9 | 65 | 10 | 3 | 107 | 16 | 12 |
| 24 | 3 | 11 | 66 | 10 | 6 | 108 | 17 | 0 |
| 25 | 3 | 13 | 67 | 10 | 8 | 109 | 17 | 2 |
| 26 | 4 | 1 | 68 | 10 | 10 | 110 | 17 | 5 |
| 27 | 4 | 4 | 69 | 10 | 12 | 111 | 17 | 7 |
| 28 | 4 | 6 | 70 | 11 | 0 | 112 | 17 | 9 |
| 29 | 4 | 8 | 71 | 11 | 3 | 113 | 17 | 11 |
| 30 | 4 | 10 | 72 | 11 | 5 | 114 | 17 | 13 |
| 31 | 4 | 12 | 73 | 11 | 7 | 115 | 18 | 2 |
| 32 | 5 | 1 | 74 | 11 | 9 | 116 | 18 | 4 |
| 33 | 5 | 3 | 75 | 11 | 11 | 117 | 18 | 6 |
| 34 | 5 | 5 | 76 | 12 | 0 | 118 | 18 | 8 |
| 35 | 5 | 7 | 77 | 12 | 2 | 119 | 18 | 10 |
| 36 | 5 | 9 | 78 | 12 | 4 | 120 | 18 | 13 |
| 37 | 5 | 12 | 79 | 12 | 6 | 125 | 19 | 10 |
| 38 | 6 | 0 | 80 | 12 | 8 | 130 | 20 | 7 |
| 39 | 6 | 2 | 81 | 12 | 11 | 135 | 21 | 4 |
| 40 | 6 | 4 | 82 | 12 | 13 | 140 | 22 | 1 |
| 41 | 6 | 6 | 83 | 13 | 1 | 145 | 22 | 12 |
| 42 | 6 | 9 | 84 | 13 | 3 | 150 | 23 | 9 |
| BMI calculation | BMI | Weight status |
|
BMI= weight (kg)/height2 (m2) eg: 77kg, 1.83m 77/(1.83 × 1.83) = 23 (normal) |
||
| 18.5–24.9 | Normal | |
| <18.5 | Underweight | |
| 25.0–29.9 | Overweight | |
| ≥30 | Obese | |
| ≥40 | Morbidly obese |
Fig. A1 Body mass index ranges. Plotting weight against height helps categorise weight status.
The DVLA issues strict regulations about which medical conditions affect your ability to drive. A summary of this information for holders of standard Group 1 licences is shown here; the full guidelines are available on the DVLA website ( www.dvla.gov.uk). This list is not exhaustive and a patient should stop driving if they, or their doctor, believe they are incapacitated.
| Neurology | |
| Stroke | Cease for 1mth; resume only if minimal residual deficit |
| TIA | Cease for 1mth |
| Chronic neuro disorder | Variable* |
| Meningitis | Drive if well |
| First seizure (or suspected) | Cease for 6mth* |
| Epilepsy | Cease until 1yr since last seizure (continue if seizures during sleep only for >3yr)* |
| Severe head injury/intra-cranial bleed | Cease for 6–12mth* |
| Brain tumours and mets | Variable* |
| Neurosurgery | Variable* |
| Visual field defects and diplopia | Cease driving (may be allowed if stable) |
| Visual acuity | Better than 6/12 corrected with both eyes |
| Unexplained syncope | Cease 4wk if low risk or cause found; else cease for 6mth* |
| Recurrent severe vertigo | Once attacks controlled* |
| Diabetes | |
| Diabetes on insulin or oral hypoglycaemic agents | Must be able to recognize hypo and not had >1 hypo requiring assistance in past 12mth* |
| Diabetes on diet only | Drive if well |
| Recurrent hypoglycaemia | Cease until controlled |
| Cardiovascular | |
| Angina | If symptoms at rest, at wheel or with emotion, cease until stabilized |
| MI/ACS | Cease for 1wk if successful angioplasty, else cease for 4wk |
| Angioplasty | Cease for 1wk |
| Pacemaker | Cease for 1wk* |
| ICD (if inserted for incapacitation) | Cease 6mth after insertion/shock* |
| ICD (if inserted prophylactically) | Cease for 1mth* |
| CABG | Cease for 4wk |
| Incapacitating arrhythmia | Cease for 4wk after controlled* |
| Stable arrhythmia | Drive if well |
| AAA ≥6cm | Annual review required if 6–6.5cm*; if ≥6.5cm, cease until repaired* |
| Aortic stenosis | Cease if symptomatic* |
| Psychiatry and substance abuse | |
| Severe psychiatric illness | Cease until stable for 3mth* |
| Alcohol dependence | Cease until 1yr abstinence* |
| Opioid, benzo + cocaine dependence | Cease for 1yr after previous use* |
| Other recreational drugs | Cease for 6mth after previous use* |
| Other | |
| COPD | Drive if well |
| Sleep apnoea + narcolepsy | Cease until symptoms controlled* |
| Chronic renal failure | Drive if well |
| HIV | Drive if well |
| Temporary medical conditions/post-surgical recovery | Drive if well; notify DVLA only if >3mth recovery required |
*Patient must notify the DVLA.
If a patient refuses to notify the DVLA about a medical condition you have a duty to break confidentiality and inform the DVLA on their behalf. Seek advice from senior colleagues.
Note down any interesting or unusual cases which could be used for a teaching or a Grand Round case presentation. Do not include personally identifiable patient information.
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| Extension | Bleep | |
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Hospital: | Telephone: | |
| Extension | Bleep | |
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| Hospital: | Telephone: | |
| Extension | Bleep | |
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |